Listening to Jonathan Coulton on Radio Paradise

Jonathan Coulton — Now I Am an Arsonist (w/ Suzanne Vega)

Album: Artificial Heart
Avg rating:

6.6

Your rating:

Total ratings: 975

Released: 2011
Length: 2:47
Plays (last 30 days): 0

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I was just an acrobat
High above the street
Pointing at the ground, the empty sky beneath my feet
The perfect fall
No one could tell at all
That it was killing me

You were just an astronaut
Floating on a spark
Tearing up the atmosphere, burning down the dark as you fell in
The heat against your skin
Till it got too bright to see

Far away
I hear the things they say about me
Even though
They know you had to go without me

Now you are an architect
Setting up the sea
Everyone is with you and you're all waiting for me
You check the net
But you haven't caught me yet
They're not quite done with me

Now I am an arsonist
Seven miles high
Burning through the air I breathe, thunder in the sky
My engine sings
As it melts this pair of wings
That only I can see

Touch the sun
My eyes wide open, unbelieving
Catch a breath
The only one who's left is leaving

Now I am an arsonist

Comments (39)add comment

Sofa_King wrote:

If you haven't watched Jonathan's concert yet, I highly recommend to do so, it's very fun, I wish I was there!

I was smiling the whole time I watched it, what an amazing artist.

I was lucky enough to see him live a few years ago and it was absolutely brilliant.

Posted 3 years ago by lewisv66 [ Reply ]

isnt this the guy who did the theme to code monkeys?

Posted 3 years ago by twohearted [ Reply ]

If you haven't watched Jonathan's concert yet, I highly recommend to do so, it's very fun, I wish I was there!

I was smiling the whole time I watched it, what an amazing artist.

Posted 3 years ago by Sofa_King [ Reply ]

reminds me of Adrian Belew's "Fly"

I know I should feel welcome here
Way up in the atmosphere
But I am afraid
And if I land on earth again
I'll be happy just to cut my face
While I shaveNow the sky is floating by
But I am not a cloud
And I've decided
I was not designed to flyAfter all, I'm only sand
To irritate the oyster and
To wait for a pearl
And even though I must concede
Greatness has eluded me
I'd still miss the worldAnd I would have regrets
Were I to pirouette inside a metal jet
And I am not prepared
To sprout a pair of wings and fly

Posted 4 years ago by BSartiste [ Reply ]

Code monkey like Fritos (and this song).

Posted 5 years ago by Akazungu [ Reply ]

Love how suzanne Vega's voice works with his - great song

Posted 5 years ago by stevegoertz [ Reply ]

haunting, sweet and thought-provoking all at once. nicely done!

Posted 6 years ago by rocklandlove [ Reply ]

Webfoot wrote:

Extra points for including "architect".

Posted 8 years ago by coyote620 [ Reply ]

I've been watching the wildfires at Ft. McMurray, Alberta, with the whole town being evacuated and surrounding communities starting to pack up. Then I turned to RP and this is the song playing. Talk about coincidence!

Posted 8 years ago by fstory [ Reply ]

Brother in arms join forces, and fox out all the arsonists.
It turns out to be a joke and they became comrades.

Posted 8 years ago by twoplain2sea [ Reply ]

ziggytrix wrote:

I saw this guy open for TMBG a few years back, he seemed more like fun novelty act with songs like "Re: Your Brains" and the delightful end music to the video game Portal.

Hearing this song, I thought this was just a Suzanne Vega song, but when I look it up, holy cow, this is that guy? Nice one, JoCo. Nice one.

aaronm wrote:

Fun fact: Coulton actually wrote "Still Alive" from Portal.

My beloved often sings to me - "I used to want you dead, now I only want you gone". We all love Portal.

Posted 9 years ago by DaidyBoy [ Reply ]

ziggytrix wrote:

Fun fact: Coulton actually wrote "Still Alive" from Portal.

Posted 9 years ago by aaronm [ Reply ]

Posted 9 years ago by ziggytrix [ Reply ]

JDoonan wrote:

x2

x3

Posted 9 years ago by Cannon [ Reply ]

Webfoot wrote:

Extra points for including "architect".

Posted 9 years ago by JDoonan [ Reply ]

Stunning. Making my day.

Posted 10 years ago by Sloggydog [ Reply ]

When are we going to hear "Skullcrusher Mountain"?

Posted 10 years ago by logic [ Reply ]

I first heard Jonathan Coulton on a new NPR show, "Ask Me Another," on which he's the music, and was impressed by his talent. Great act, methinks!

Posted 10 years ago by Carl [ Reply ]

Extra points for including "architect".

Posted 10 years ago by Webfoot [ Reply ]

I rarely comment...but I must today cuz I like this song.

Posted 10 years ago by rdo [ Reply ]

Here is my favorite Jonathan Coulton video. Ok, actually it is the only video of him I've seen. It just happened to be him.

https://www.wimp.com/frontdoor/

MONKEY!!

Posted 11 years ago by bseib [ Reply ]

YUCK !

Posted 11 years ago by altunsu [ Reply ]

I wonder if either of them has oddly shaped feet.

Posted 11 years ago by wossName [ Reply ]

Nicely challenging lyrics. Are these people escaping their social metaphysics? I hope so. It would be sad if they are burning out because they are NOT Zarathustra.

Posted 11 years ago by dziebell [ Reply ]

Their voices are great together. I'm a huge JoCo fan, this is one of his best.

Posted 11 years ago by CanuckMakem [ Reply ]

I've been a fan of both Coulton and Vega since their first albums. Having them together blows me away everytime I hear it.

Posted 11 years ago by NotShakespeare [ Reply ]

Geecheeboy wrote:

Ha! Bill just said, "google it up." My grandson, 5 years old, said that the other day. "I'm right. Google it up on your phone; you'll see I'm right!" So now we say "google it up." Bill has joined the crowd.

And you will find searching by duckduckgo.com and their quack feature for mobile even more efficient and private (no tracking). Enjoy! :)

Posted 11 years ago by kdarwish [ Reply ]

Nice quality, interesting background, thank you for the lead Bill. Sad to learn the producers of such a popular and high quality show as Glee would feel a need and resort to such theft. Anyway, Radio Paradise's and credit should be a big consolation.

Posted 11 years ago by kdarwish [ Reply ]

BILL! You played some Coulton! I thought you couldn't surprise me anymore!

Posted 11 years ago by aaronm [ Reply ]

Posted 11 years ago by Geecheeboy [ Reply ]

I googled Jonathan Coulton/Glee as recommended. What a class act.

Posted 11 years ago by Nillagirl [ Reply ]

ghoffman wrote:

Nice! I'll open with a 6.

I'll see your 6 and raise you. 7

Posted 11 years ago by rdo [ Reply ]

Always love Suzanne Vega; I think that's the first time I've heard Jonathan Coulton- looking forward to hearing more!

Posted 11 years ago by NeuroGeek [ Reply ]

This might hit me at another more appropriate moment.....

Posted 11 years ago by Shesdifferent [ Reply ]

This grows on me. I like it more every time I hear it.

Posted 12 years ago by bh1 [ Reply ]

8 on first hearing.

Posted 12 years ago by Zep [ Reply ]

That's what I get for coming in in the middle. Listening to what sounded like a Suzanna Vega song I haven't heard before, and suddenly I'm pulled away from the work I'm focusing on by what is clearly JoCo's voice. Well played, sir, well played.